(PlastEurope) -- Synbra Technology
(Etten-Leur/The Netherlands) has launched a heat-resistant injection mouldable
PLA polymer which it says has an impact strength comparable with that of ABS.

The polymer, branded "Synterra IM", is produced by mixing 100% pure PLLA
(poly-L-lactide) with 100% PDLA (poly-D-lactide) and has a heat deflection
temperature of 123°C. Polymerisation of the optical isomers PLLA and PDLA takes
place at the company’s new 5,000 t/y plant in Etten-Leur, which was commissioned
in early 2011.

Synterra IM’s temperature and impact properties are better than those of
conventional PLA, and after injection moulding the material is able to withstand
boiling water, Synbra says. The company launched Synterra IM in the second half
of this year, and last month the material was awarded an Accenture "Blue Tulip"
innovation award at the RAI Elicium in Amsterdam/The Netherlands.

A Synterra compounding grade is also being used in some FKuR Kunststoff
(Willich/Germany) products.